2000 CC 48 volt very slow on hills

jedotx

I have a 2000 48 volt CC with stock motor and controller. It runs about 12MPH on the street but slows way down on hills. With 2 adults and clubs it slows down to a crawl on hills off of the path. Is this normal? If so, what is the most economical way to speed it up? I don't need a racer just respectable performance. If it is not normal, what would be the most likely cause? I am a golf cart newbie and any advice would be appreciated.

BGW

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OLD MEC

This is close to the requirment 12-15 MPH for stock carts, of course condition of motor and more so batterys, tire size and lifts, tops, etc have a big effect on top speed. You are now faced with the issue that most cart owners run into ( speed and hill climbing power ) and there is no simple answer to your question? Start by checking battery condition ( batterys are the HORSE POWER of a electric cart ) test batterys with digital volt meter, each battery and then whole pack total voltage and then with a single float temperature correcting hydrometer check each cell of each battery and then compare with STICKIES under "State Of Charge Readings". Then let forum know before you go any further with all readings, and then you can go from there.
Basicly its how much you are willing to do yourself and how much you want to invest to get to a happy point?

jedotx

The batteries are new Trojan and properly maintained, but I will check them just to be sure.

OLD MEC

Check them just to be sure as some times even a Trojan battery can have problems? I hope you are breaking them in correctly? Charged for first time BEFORE FIRST CART RIDE, and put on charger after ( each use ) and ( never discharging more than 25% ) and allow to fully charge without unhooking. The break in period takes at least 30-40 or more discharge-charge cycles depending on AMP HOUR RATING OF BATTERYS, before you will get full power. Checking DISTILLED water about every other week and maintain 1/2" above seperators.

jedotx

Oops I am learning this on the fly. I did charge the batteries before using but have not charged after every use (I mostly use it just running around the neighborhood). I have also run them down pretty far on one occasion. I have been monitering the water level and using distilled water. I probably do not have the 30-40 charges on them yet. I hope I have not messed the batteries up, they sure are expensive. I'm charging the batteries tonight and will test them tomorrow. Thanks for all of the advise.

OLD MEC

I may talk about this much too often but battery maintenace is like trying to fly a plane without any gas? Your in for an expensive fall if you dont do your job. My Trojans are now ( 8 YEARS OLD ) and still doing good for there age, range getting shorter but with another year of NO SS increase and cost of living going up another 12% batterys are on the bottom of my list as things like food, rent, utilities, meds, seem to come first for some reason?

jedotx

Ok, I put the charger on last night. It finished charging sometime during the night and just went out and tested them at 10:30AM. voltages are as follows:
8.57, 8.58, 8.59, 8.59, 8.56, 8.59, and across the stack 51.5. The only hydrometer I could find was a cheap one at auto zone. I tested all of the cells with it and they all read over the highest end of the scale. the highest mark on the scale is 1.30.
The batteries I took out of this cart when I bought it were old and reconditioned and would not take a charge. There was some corrosion on the cables. Not knowing any better I just cleaned the cable terminals with a baking powder and water solution and re-used the cables. After reading on this forum I now think that probably was a mistake. Do you think that this could be part of the problem. also what do you think about the battery test info above.

OLD MEC

As per chart in stickies the batterys full charged each are 8.49 and total pack voltage is 50.96 so you are in good shape. They still are not broken in so with each charge the power will go up even though readings are now good. IF after cleaning with baking soda and water you cleaned contact surface shiney bright on STOCK 6 gauge cables they should do a fair job of transferring power to controls and motor? Cables over a period of years break down and cause higher resistance, so replacement with 4 gauge may help, but dont expect major changes unless cables are really bad?
NOTE THIS MEANS REPLACEMENT OF ALL 6 GAUGE CABLES.
The way to gain torque ( FROM ALLTRAX LITERATURE ) ( Pulling power and hill climbing ability and some minor change in speed) is to "go from a stock controller which is approximatly 225 amp controller to a 350-400 amp controller along with 4 gauge wiring". Many owners jump into higher HP motor without changing wiring or controller? This is like a kink in a water hose trying to feed a wide open nozzle?
So often new cart owners go for looks and then wonder why they loose speed and power? By going with lift kits, larger diameter tires, rear seats, tops, windshields, etc they are adding to load causing problems of stock parts? As you can see anything to gain power and a little speed requires the addition of sums of money?

shadowman

i would load test the batteries, even though they are showing fine as far as voltage goes you could have one going bad under load and all it takes is one.........same with cables if you have one going bad under the rubber casing its not letting voltage flow free and thats gonna cause a lack of power and run time............so load test your batteries and replace cables with a set of premium 6 or 4 gage cables................................

jedotx

I don't have a load tester but I saw a method in an earlier post by Shadowman. I had my son drive while I checked voltage with the multi meter. Results are as follows in this format: before, at full speed, Immediately upon stopping.

8.41, 8.07, 8.30
8.38, 8.05, 8.32
8.39, 8.08, 8.32
8.41, 8.08, 8.33
8.40, 8.09, 8.31
8.43, 8.04, 8.32

Stack:
50.5, 47.5, 49.95

I also checked actual speed with a GPS and on flat pavement I am actually only getting 9MPH and slows down to 3MPH on an kind of signifigant hill.
Changing the cables out to 4 are deffinetly in my near future and I think I might look into a better motor controler it has a stock Curtis 225 Amp.